SMS Rostock facts for kids
SMS Rostock
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 German Empire |
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| Name | Rostock |
| Namesake | Rostock |
| Builder | Howaldtswerke, Kiel |
| Laid down | 1911 |
| Launched | 12 November 1912 |
| Commissioned | 4 February 1914 |
| Fate | Scuttled at the Battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Karlsruhe-class cruiser |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 142.2 m (466 ft 6 in) |
| Beam | 13.7 m (44 ft 11 in)1 |
| Draft | 5.38 m (17 ft 8 in) |
| Installed power |
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| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 29.3 kn (54.3 km/h; 33.7 mph) |
| Complement |
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| Armament |
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| Armor |
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The SMS Rostock was a fast, light warship called a light cruiser. It was built for the German Imperial Navy (Kaiserliche Marine). This ship was part of the Karlsruhe class class, and its sister ship was the SMS Karlsruhe. These ships were very similar to an earlier group of cruisers.
The Rostock was started in 1911 and launched in November 1912. It was ready for duty by February 1914. The ship was armed with twelve powerful 10.5 cm guns. It could reach a top speed of 28.5 knots (52.8 km/h; 32.8 mph) (about 53 kilometers per hour). When fully loaded, it weighed about 6,191 t (6,093 long tons; 6,824 short tons).
Throughout its time in service, the Rostock was a leader for groups of torpedo boats in the High Seas Fleet. It helped protect larger warships called battlecruisers during attacks on the British coast. It also took part in the Battle of Dogger Bank. The Rostock played a big role in the famous Battle of Jutland in 1916. During this battle, it fought many British light ships. It was hit by a torpedo and badly damaged. German torpedo boats tried to tow it away, but a British cruiser found them. To prevent the Rostock from being captured, the German crew sank their own ship.
Contents
Ship Design and Features
The Rostock was 142.2 meters (467 ft) long from end to end. It was 13.7 m (45 ft) wide and sat 5.38 m (17.7 ft) deep in the water. When fully loaded, it weighed 6,191 t (6,093 long tons; 6,824 short tons).
- Engine Power: The ship had two powerful steam turbine engines. These engines turned two large 3.5-meter (11 ft) propellers. They were designed to produce 26,000 shaft horsepower (19,000 kW) of power. But in real life, they could reach even more, about 43,628 shp (32,533 kW)!
- Boilers: To power the engines, the Rostock used twelve coal-fired boilers. It also had two oil-fired boilers. These allowed the ship to reach a top speed of 29.3 knots (54.3 km/h; 33.7 mph) (about 54 kilometers per hour).
- Fuel and Range: The ship carried 1,300 t (1,300 long tons) of coal and 200 t (200 long tons) of fuel oil. This fuel gave it a long range of about 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) (about 9,260 kilometers) when cruising at a slower speed of 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph).
- Crew: The Rostock had a crew of 18 officers and 355 sailors.
Weapons and Protection
The Rostock was well-armed for its size.
- Main Guns: It had twelve 10.5 cm guns. Two were at the front, eight were along the sides (four on each side), and two were at the back. These guns could shoot targets up to 12,700 m (41,700 ft) away. The ship carried 1,800 shells, which meant 150 shells for each gun.
- Torpedoes: It also had two 50 cm (19.7 in) torpedo tubes built into its hull. These could launch torpedoes at enemy ships. It carried five torpedoes in total.
- Mines: The Rostock could also carry 120 mines. These were used to create dangerous areas in the water for enemy ships.
- Armor: To protect itself, the ship had an armored belt around its waterline that was 60 mm (2.4 in) thick. The command center (called the conning tower) had even thicker sides, 100 mm (3.9 in) thick. The ship's deck was covered with armor up to 60 mm thick.
Service in World War I
The Rostock was built at the Howaldtswerke shipyard in Kiel. It was launched on November 12, 1912. The mayor of Rostock, Dr. Magnus Maßmann, officially named the ship. After being fully prepared, the ship joined the High Seas Fleet on February 5, 1914. It quickly became a leader for groups of torpedo boats.
Early Battles and Operations
On January 24, 1915, the Rostock supported Admiral Franz von Hipper's battlecruisers. They were trying to find and destroy British light forces near the Dogger Bank. The Rostock and several torpedo boats protected the battlecruisers. They met five British battlecruisers, leading to the Battle of Dogger Bank. During this fight, the German armored cruiser Blücher was sunk.
The Rostock also took part in an attack on the British towns of Yarmouth and Lowestoft on April 24, 1916. While the battlecruisers shelled Lowestoft, the Rostock and five other cruisers fought a group of British ships called the Harwich Force. The German battlecruisers then joined in, forcing the British ships to retreat. After that, the German ships returned to port.
Battle of Jutland: A Major Clash
The Rostock was a key ship in the Battle of Jutland, which happened on May 31, 1916. It was the leader of the torpedo boat groups, with Commodore Andreas Michelsen on board. Their job was to protect the main battle squadrons of the High Seas Fleet.
- Fighting Destroyers: Around 5:30 PM, two British destroyers, HMS Nestor and Nicator, tried to attack the German battle line. The Rostock and several German battleships fired at them. Both destroyers were badly damaged. The battleships then destroyed them, and German torpedo boats rescued their crews.
- Smoke Screens and Night Action: Later, at 7:32 PM, the Rostock and some torpedo boats created a smoke screen. This helped the German fleet hide as they pulled back. Michelsen also sent some torpedo boats to help the damaged battlecruiser Lützow. As night fell, the Rostock joined other light cruisers on the left side of the fleet.
- Close Encounters: Just before midnight, the Rostock group met the British 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron. Soon after midnight, British destroyers attacked the German line where the Rostock was. The Rostock fired its guns at the attacking destroyers. The destroyers launched torpedoes, forcing the Rostock and other cruisers to turn away. This turn sent them towards their own battleships! The Rostock managed to get through, but another German cruiser, Elbing, was hit by a battleship and stopped working.
- Last Moments: In the confusion of the night, the Rostock's searchlights lit up the British destroyer Broke. The Rostock and battleships Westfalen and Rheinland fired heavily at the Broke. Even though it was badly damaged, the Broke managed to return to port.
The Rostock was then attacked by two other destroyers, Ambuscade and Contest. Each fired a torpedo. One torpedo hit the Rostock at 1:30 AM, severely damaging it. It was also hit by three shells, likely from the Broke.
- Scuttling the Ship: The damaged Rostock called for help. The destroyer S54 came and began towing the Rostock. Two more destroyers, V71 and V73, joined them. Around 3:55 AM on June 1, the four German ships met the British cruiser Dublin. The three destroyers quickly took the crew off the crippled Rostock. To hide their identity, they used smoke screens. After about ten minutes, S54 left with the crew. V71 and V73 stayed behind.
To make sure the Rostock sank and didn't fall into enemy hands, the Germans set special charges to sink it. The two destroyers also fired three torpedoes into the ship. The Rostock sank bow-first around 4:25 AM. Then, V71 and V73 sped away.
During the battle, 14 of the Rostock's crew members were killed, and 6 were wounded. The ship fired about 500 shells from its 10.5 cm guns, more than any other German ship in the battle. Another ship named Rostock was launched in April 1918, but it was not finished before World War I ended.
